Featured Review: 1byone Type-C USB To Type-A, HDMI & VGA Cables

For those thinking about picking up a new smartphone, tablet, Chromebook or even a new desktop monitor, there has been a big shift of late. One to do with USB technology. This is of course, Type-C USB. This is the latest USB tech which makes use of USB 3.0 technology and one of the more obvious differences compared to the previous generational USB ports is that the actual physical shape of the USB port has changed. This evidently means the shape of the connectors on leads have changed too. Therefore if you have one of these newer devices or plan to pick one up, your current USB leads will no longer physically fit anymore.

So far, the list of devices making use of Type-C is rather limited, however, this is largely expected to change by the close of the year with a number of manufacturers intent on adopting the latest tech to benefit from faster data transfer and faster charging. That said, the list of already available devices is growing with the likes of the Google Chromebook Pixel, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Oneplus 2 and the New Macbook all adopting Type-C USB ports. So it is time to start thinking about what additional cables you will be using going forward. Luckily, there are already a number of options available to buy from third-party manufacturers. Today, we are taking a quick look at three Type-C USB cables on offer from 1byone. These cables all make use of Type-C USB ports on one end but differ in regards to the other end, with Type-A USB, HDMI and VGA all on offer.

1byone USB 3.1 Type C to Type A Cable

Up first we have the 1byone USB 3.1 Type-C to Type-A Adapter cable. The good news about this cable is that it does come with a USB-A connector on one side so it will be compatible with all the car chargers, wall socket adapters and other USB-A sockets that you already own. The other side obviously comes sporting the Type-A connector. We've been using this cable for the last few weeks and during that time it has performed extremely well. The actual cable itself makes use of a thicker gauge and this does mean the cable feels like a sturdier cable and one which should last the test of time pretty well. Color wise, it is white all over and does look rather similar in style to the cable which comes with the latest Nexus devices. While in terms of size, the cable comes in at 3.3-feet (one meter), which so far has proved adequate enough for most instances, so there is unlikely to be too many times when you find the cable is a little too short for your needs.

Moving on to the important aspect, charging. Again, during testing, the 1byone Type-C cable has performed extremely well. We have had the cable running with both the Nexus 5X and the OnePlus 2 and without any major issues being noted. The cable never runs hot and does seem to be able to carry the load well. According to the tech specs, this is cable which is said to offer 10 GBps transmission and a max charge of 3-amps. While testing, the 1byone Type-C to Type-A cable has proven particularly useful for the OnePlus 2. As this is a device which does not come with any means of faster charging, charging a OnePlus 2 is not the quickest of exercises. However, the 1byone cable does seem to charge quicker than the cable which comes with the OnePlus 2 and therefore, will be of additional benefit for those who find their current Type-C enabled device is a little on the slow side to charge. For those who are currently considering picking up a new Type-C USB cable, then the 1byone option is available to buy for $15.99. Although, it does seem to be currently on sale for only $8.99. Which makes it a pretty good buy for the money.

Moving on and next up we have the 1byone USB 3.1 Type-C to HDMI cable. Again, if you already make use of a cable to attach any of your devices directly to a HDMI port, then this is also another cable you will eventually need to upgrade, when you upgrade your device to a Type-C enabled device.

In terms of the 1byone option, this has also proved to be a reliable cable. In fact, to all purposes, it has performed extremely similar to the main USB cable with no notable issues. This is a cable which makes use of an almost identical design and look and comes boasting the same white design and thicker cable to offer a greater level of durability and hopefully, lifespan. So you should not have too many issues or concerns about this cable breaking. However, it is worth noting that this is essentially a patch cable, which does mean that it is a much smaller cable, one which comes measuring 21 cm in length.

In term of the more technical parameters, this is cable which is designed to offer full transmission of video up to 3840 x 2160 at 30Hz, It is also a cable which is backwards compatible and allows transmission at 1080p and 720p. So this should be fine with most of your devices and regardless of resolution rate. As you also would expect, this is a cable which is designed to be plug and play ready so there is no software or similar involved. Simply connect and you are good to go. In terms of price, this is a lead which comes with a listed $35.99 price tag, although you can currently pick it up on sale for only $22.99.

Last on the list of Type-C accessories from 1byone is the USB 3.1 Type C to VGA Adapter. This is also a cable which is unlikely to need too much explaining. If you make use of a monitor or projector which currently uses a VGA port, then upgrading to any of the recently released Type-C devices will also mean you need to buy a new cable or adapter. Continuing the theme, this cable also adopts a near identical look and design to the previous two cables. Again sporting the full white look and sturdier build and design, this is another cable which has proved well during testing and certainly seems to be one which looks to be a reliable option. So you're unlikely to have to worry about replacing this cable too often.

In terms of the more technical aspects, this cable looks to offer translation of resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 and once again, this is designed to be a plug and play unit with no additional drivers or otherwise needed. Simply plug it in, connect and you are good to go. In terms of size and length, this is essentially identical to the HDMI option, minus the swapping out of the HDMI connector for the VGA one. So you are looking at 21 cm cable length. While short, it is suitable for the purpose of the lead. Moving on to the important bit, price, this is a lead which is available to buy for $32.99, although once again, is a cable which does seem to currently be on sale and can be picked up now for only $21.99

John has been writing about and reviewing tech products since 2014 after making the transition from writing about and reviewing airlines. With a background in Psychology, John has a particular interest in the science and future of the industry. Besides adopting the Managing Editor role at AH John also covers much of the news surrounding audio and visual tech, including cord-cutting, the state of Pay-TV, and Android TV. Contact him at [email protected]